


Hardware Check

by Quoshara



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: Abuse of furniture, Boats and Ships, Challenge Response, Jealousy, M/M, Mimes, We might need spackle, tool belts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-05
Updated: 2011-11-05
Packaged: 2017-10-25 17:28:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/272899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quoshara/pseuds/Quoshara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cody does something nice for Murray, but somehow it doesn't turn out quite the way he expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hardware Check

**Author's Note:**

  * For [catyah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/catyah/gifts).



> Thanks to my long-suffering P-i-C, the wondrous speakmefair, for the quick beta.

"Cody, do you really think this is a good idea?" Murray's voice was a little hesitant. He stood with his arms up at shoulder level, looking down to where Cody's hands were fumbling at his belt.

"A good idea? Of course it's a good idea," Cody replied, tugging Murray closer. "Aren't all my ideas good ones?"

"Um, well, there was the one time with the marshmallows and the Bunsen burner. I tried to tell—"

"—Aside from that," Cody interrupted.

"And when you thought the deck chair was sturdy enough to—"

"Okay! Okay!" Cody grabbed Murray by the hips and pulled him even closer. "So not **all** my ideas are perfect, but they're still always fun, aren't they?"

"Yeah, for the most part," Murray had to concede.

"There, you see? So this one is going to be fine," Cody leaned in to kiss him, just a quick peck before he stepped back. "You can put your arms down, Murray. Everything's all set."

"Really? Boss!" Murray looked down at the tool belt Cody had fastened around his hips. "Look! It's got all my equipment! My wire cutters and pliers and all my little screwdrivers."

"Yes, it does." Cody nodded, pointing out all the rest of the equipment. "Your ink pens and markers, so you don't have to worry about having them in your shirt pocket. And there's your calculator and your measuring tape—"

"—And my slide rule! Cody, this is perfect!"

"See? Good idea."

"Great idea. Now I'm all set to get the new cable pulled into my work room and I won't have to hunt for where I put my tools down all the time. Thanks, Cody." Murray turned, giving the now very heavy belt a tug up over his slim hips. "I'm going to get to work so I can get finished before time for Mama Jo's party."

"You do that, Murray." Cody smiled indulgently and walked over to where Nick was sitting on the fantail to grab a beer out of the cooler.

Nick peered out at him from under the baseball cap he had tugged low to shade his eyes from the bright morning sun. "You may have made a slight tactical error there, buddy."

Cody fumbled for the bottle opener, and popped his beer open. "What do you mean? You know that if there's one thing that Murray loves more than gadgets, it's gadgets **for** his gadgets."

There was a long low wolf-whistle from the dock, and Cody looked up to see two of the girls from the Contessa, standing there and looking down at Murray.

"Nice view, Doctor Boz," one of them said appreciatively.

Murray stood up and tugged at the tool belt. "Oh, good morning, girls. Yes, it's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Yeah, just peachy," the other girl said as Murray turn back to his work, squatting down and fiddling with the two cables he was linking together. "Mmmmm… and getting better every minute."

Cody's eyes got wider as the two girls waved over one of their friends.

"They…they…they…"

"Yeah. They're checking out the Boz."

"But what—?"

"What is one of the main drawbacks of wearing a heavy tool-belt, Cody?"

Cody frowned at him, and then at the three girls who had now become four girls, all of them intent on watching Murray.

"It's hot and heavy and—" Nick prompted Cody, describing a small circle in the air with his hand.

"And it tugs down the back of your pants—"

"That would be it. And especially since Murray doesn't have a waist or any hips to speak of, they're all probably getting a really good look at that wiry ass of his."

"Shit!" Cody dashed over to where Murray was working. Sure enough, the view was absolutely perfect.

Murray's position, bent down to reach the cable, pulled his slacks tight against his backside, the heavy tool belt weighing them down just enough that there was a good three inches of skin visible between his t-shirt and his waistband. Three inches that, although they didn't completely reveal anything, showed enough curves and shadows to give a good idea of what lay only a few inches lower.

"Murray!"

"Cody, what's going on? Is there a problem with—"

"No, everything's fine now, Boz," Cody scowled at the girls. "Show's over, ladies. Move it along."

"What show?" Murray asked, straightening up and looking around. "Did I miss something? Did that mime come back? I really enjoyed watching him when he was on the pier yesterday."

"No…no…the mime didn't come back—"

"That's too bad. He was really kind of funny."

Nick's badly smothered laughter made Cody scowl even more. "Look, Murray, do you have to do that now?"

"Do what?" Murray was still scanning the area nearby, presumably still looking for anyone in white face-paint and a black and white striped shirt. "Oh? Oh, yeah, and I better get back to it. I've been having some real power issues, but I'm sure it's just a faulty cable."

"I'm sure later would be better, Boz…like after dark, maybe. It wouldn't be so hot then."

"But then I wouldn't be able to see what I'm doing," Murray frowned. "And besides, Mama Jo's party is tonight and I want to get done before then."

"Then maybe you should work inside," Cody suggested. "I'll bring you some iced tea and those little wheat crackers you like so much."

"Oh…I do like those…" Murray paused for a moment, distracted. "Cody, you nut, I can't work inside because I have to attach the cable here first and then to the phone hook ups."

"Yeah, but Boz… "

"Back to work."

He turned and squatted back down where he'd been working on the cable, the tool belt once again tugging the back of his pants down and exposing much more skin and…cleavage than Murray normally ever showed.

Nick now had his fist shoved against his mouth trying to contain his laughter.

"Hello, Mr. Allen, I've got two pa…pa…pa—" a male voice stuttered behind them. "And helloooo, Dr. Bozinsky. Very nice to see _you_ today."

"Hello, Mike." Murray waved briefly, peeking back over his shoulder.

Cody moved behind Murray, effectively blocking him from view, "Did you have something for me?"

"Um…" Mike, the UPS delivery man, was almost standing on his toes, trying to see past the roadblock that was Cody. "Oh. Oh, yeah… I have two packages for Dr. Bozinsky. If you'll just sign here."

Cody stepped forward automatically, reaching for the clipboard, but when he saw the smile of anticipation on Mike's face, he froze in place. "You'll have to bring those back tomorrow. We're too busy to sign anything right now."

"Cody, you really are acting like a nut today," Murray stood and walked over to take the clipboard. "These are the probably the circuit boards I've been expecting. Thanks, Mike."

"Absolutely noooo trouble, Dr. Bozinsky. Always my pleasure to service my customers in every way possible."

If Mike thought he'd get Murray's attention with that cheesy come-on, he had another think coming. Cody smirked. Boz had already forgotten he was standing there, his mind now turned to the arrival of his much anticipated circuit boards.

"Yeah…well, we'll remember that the next time we have something to send. Have a good day, Mike." Cody's voice was completely dismissive, calculated to give exactly the right mix of possession and warning.

"I'd better take these inside," Murray said, gently cradling the packages as if they were his babies.

"Yeah, yeah, you do that," Nick said, finally managing to rein in his laughter. He watched as Murray ducked through the door to the salon, then turned toward Cody. "You're going to have to calm down, Cody. Murray's distracted right now, but if he figures out what's going on he's going to—"

"He's going to be embarrassed because people were staring at him or freak out because…he'll think that I'm angry that people are checking him out. Which I kind of am, but not at him." Cody nodded. "But what can I do? I can't tell him not to wear the tool belt, I just gave it to him!"

"Don't worry, Code… Just leave it to me." Nick winked at him.

Cody gave a small laugh, "Okay, and now I'm **really** worried."

Murray came back just then, tugging the tool belt a bit higher as he stepped back through the door.  
"Hey, guys, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing," Nick shrugged, "but Cody was just saying that it was getting pretty sunny out here. Maybe you should put your button-down on over your t-shirt. You don't want to get burned."

Murray looked up at the sky and then down at his arms, "You might be right, Nick. Thanks."

He pulled the long-sleeved shirt on and then turned back to his work, leaving Nick and Cody to wander back over to the fan-tail.

"I thought you were going to help," Cody whispered loudly.

"I did," Nick answered, pointing back over to where Murray was working. The tail of the long Oxford shirt covered, not only the tool belt, but Murray's entire backside.

"That's— wow, good idea, Nick."

"Better than marshmallows and a Bunsen burner?"

"Um…"

"Better than the thought that…" Nick paused, then looked perplexed. "Cody? What exactly **were** you trying to do with that deck chair?"

**


End file.
